Combined step-ladder and chair



(Nb-Model.)

P. BRAUN.

COMBINED STEP LADDER AND CHAIR. No. 387,045. Patented July 31, 1888.

4Q ATTORNEY.

Uni-TED STATES PATENT Urrrca.

COMBINED STEP-LADDER AND CHAIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 387,045, dated July 31, 1888. Application filed April 20, 1888. Serial No. 171,260. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that PHILLIP BRAUN, of Los Angeles,in the county ofLos Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and Im proved Combined Step'Ladder and Chair, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in combined step-ladders and chairs, and has for its object to provide a convenient and ornamental piece of furniture, simple and durable in construction, and light of weight, which may be readily and conveniently converted from a chair into a step-ladder, or vice versa.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a perspective View of my device in position as a step-ladder. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same converted into a chair. Fig. 3 isa perspective detail view of the swinging ledge or leaf, and Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the catches employed in securing the parts together when used as a chair.

For convenience, I will first describe my device as a chair and the application of the va rious parts to the chair to adapt the same for conversion into a step-ladder.

The back of the chair is made as light as possible, and may be constructed in any approved manner, either fanciful or plain. The seat 11 is secured, respectively, to the rear legs, 12, and front legs, 13, which seat is divided at one side of the center, and the two sections formedthereby 14 and 15 are united by a hinge, 16, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

Upon each side of the chair and at each side of the division in the seat, uprights 16 and 17 are attached to the under side of the seat, the hinges whereby the said seat is folded being secured to the approaching ends of the two said standards 16 and 17 The said standards are projected downward flush with the base of the rear legs, 12, the standards 17 being independent of said legs, and the standards 16 forming an integral portion of the same at the bottom, as shown in Fig. 2.

The front legs of the chair are united by rounds in the usual manner, and the inclined standards 17 and thefront legs are united upon each side by a series of two rounds, and upon the upper round, 18, a platform or step, 19, is secured, which platform or step is recessed to partially receive the standard 17, to which latter the step may be rigidly secured in any ap proved manner, this step or platform 19 constituting the first of the series of the ladder. Flush with the edge of the aforesaid step 19 a second step, 20, is secured, respectively, to the standard 16 and the rear legs of the chair, and to the outer or rear end of the said step a board, 21, is hinged, which board is adapted, when the device is used as a ladder, to constitute a platform for the reception of such articles as a pail or buckets when the chairis used as a library-ladder. The platform is held parallel to the rear edge of the step 20,when the device is used as a ladder, by means of bars 22, secured to one side of the platform, which is the upper side when used as a chair, the said bars being adapted to project over and rest upon the surface of the step 20.

At the base of the rear leg and standard 16 a board, 23, is secured, which board is provided with a recess, 21-, at the forward ends, lessening the width at such end, whereby, when the device is folded for use as a chair the said board will project inward between the standard 17 and serve as a brace.

Then the device is to be converted from a chair into a ladder, the back of the chair is grasped by the hand and thrown over to the front until the upper end of the back rests upon the floor. When this is accomplished,the standards 16 and 17 will be in alignment, the platform 19 constituting thelowerstep, the under portion of the seat the second step, the platform the third step, and the base-board 24 the top step.

To the inner sides of one of the standards 16 and 17 catches 25 and 26 are respectively attached near the lower ends and upon the opposite standards 16 and 17. Upon the other side, near the upper ends, a hook and eye, 27 and 28, are respectively secured. Th us, when the device is thrown over to form a chair, the

catches 25 and 26,0oming in contact, as shown in Fig. 4, will interlock and hold the standards in contact while the same service is performed by the hook 28 and eye 27 upon the opposite side.

When the device is used as a ladder, what would appearin the chair to be the upper surface ofthe platform 20 and hinge-board 21 will appear as the under surface in a ladder, and the said hinge-platform will form a shelf, as heretofore stated, the same being supported by the bars 22 resting upon the now under surface of the platform 20.

As shown in the drawings, the chair is provided with arms 30,which serve also as braces when the device is used as a ladder; but these arms may be omitted.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a combined step-ladder and chair, the combination, with the front and rear legs, a sectional and hinged seat secured to the said legs, and two pairs of standards secured to each section of the seat, of a step secured to one pair of standards and a platform hinged to the said step and provided with bars projecting from its hinged end and adapted to rest under the step and support the said platform in a horizontal position when used as a ladder, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. The combination, with the front and rear legs of a chair, a sectional seat secured to said front and rear legs, standards 16 and 17, attached to said seat at each side ofthe division and hinged together, and rounds connecting the standards 17 and the front legs, of a step or platform secured upon one of said rounds and attached to the standards 17, a second step or platform secured to the standard 16 and the rear legs, a shelf hinged to said platform or step 20, provided with stay-bars 22, and a recessed base-board secured to the under side of the rear legs, and the standard 16, adapted to serve alternately as an upper step for the ladder and a brace for the rear legs of a chair, substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

PHILLIP BRAUN.

\Vitnesses:

JAS. M. EPLER, SMILEY H. HENDERSON. 

